World's Best Protagonist [BL]

The captain’s eyes narrowed at me. "You’re that weird guy unfazed by the apocalypse."

"I am," I answered without hesitation, nodding my head repeatedly, as if proud of that fact. A small, amused smirk tugged at my lips, but Claude wasn’t nearly as entertained.

He’s probably thinking I’m insane since birth. He shook his head in return, exhaling as if exhausted just by my existence.

"Your attitude was the same as when we met again. Why did I not recognize you?"

He was in disbelief. I wasn’t that remarkable, so it was understandable. Besides, he was probably trying to remain calm and collected after arriving in a different world.

If it were me, I’d be running out to the streets shouting while yanking my head, yet there he was saving lives.

I shrugged. "It was a brief interaction. I also didn’t recognize you because, you know, your colors changed." I waved a vague hand at him. "When Allen mentioned it, that’s when I finally connected the dots."

Claude’s fingers momentarily tightened around the knife handle he was holding, but his focus remained on the food sizzling in the pan.

"Is that why you saved my life too?"

"I didn’t do it to return the favor." I paused. I did not expect him to ask that. My voice lowered as I was thinking how to answer that. "I..."

I hesitated, still struggling to find the right words. I saved him because it was the right thing to do. But many were with me, who also thought that way, but did not move at all.

Looking back, I was really reckless. Running to him without knowing if I can save him or not. So, why did I do that?

"My body just moved on its own."

Claude finally stopped chopping and turned his full attention to me. His gaze fixated on me, steady yet obscured.

"At that time, did you see something?"

The air in the kitchen grew heavier. I’m not sure what it is, but I could tell he wants to confirm something. I inhaled slowly, my fingers curling slightly on the table.

"...I didn’t see anything," I lied.

I saw something. A vague image of someone flashed in my head when I touched him during his Nightmare. Something I did not tell anyone. Not even him. The reason?

I was uncertain.

So, I buried it at the back of my mind. Did not even think about it at all, and completely forgot it. Now, he was asking, that buried piece of memory was waving at me. But I won’t look at it.

I’m a Minder. So now, I know what I saw. It was something personal that I should not dare to peek at, despite my curiosity.

Claude’s sharp eyes searched my face, as if peeling back layers of my words, dissecting every twitch and flicker of emotion.

I’m always good at lying. Sometimes the lie I make can even fool me. So, I stared back at him with the same intensity and truth. A deceitful truth.

Then, after a tense moment, he simply nodded.

"I hope you’re telling the truth, Jade."

"I am..." I replied, though even I wasn’t sure if I sounded convincing.

Another pause. Then, to my surprise, Claude turned back to the stove. "I trust you."

The weight in the room shifted, but I couldn’t tell whether it had lightened or grown heavier. The conversation died there, leaving only the sounds of cooking to fill the silence.

I basked in self-reproach and guilt. Once he turned to face me again, I wore the mask in a blink, sporting that usual nonchalant face I always have.

He didn’t answer my other question. But I guess it was for the better.

We ate dinner quietly. No one spoke, though every now and then, I could feel Claude’s gaze flicker toward me. I didn’t try to fill the silence. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t. I ignored his obvious stares and ate slowly.

When the meal was over, I stood up and started washing the dishes. The warm water ran over my hands, the rhythmic clinking of plates grounding me. Once I was finished, I dried my hands and stepped toward Claude’s room.

I knocked once. No answer. I knew he walked in after dinner. Is he asleep already? I was about to walk away when, finally, Claude’s voice came from the other side.

"What is it?"

"I should go home now." I leaned against the doorframe and did not push on opening the door. "Thanks for dinner."

There was no answer again. I sighed. I decided to leave, but it only took a few steps away before the door clicked behind me, and when I turned, I saw him at the door with water droplets dripping at the ends of his hair, down to his naked chest.

My gaze flew to his face instantly.

"Stay here," he said.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

Claude moved out of the door. He walked back to his bed while drying his hair with the towel. He replied after he sat on the foot of the bed.

"Commander Lan called. He wants you at the NSA early in the morning for a brief meeting. Let’s go together."

"Meeting?" I echoed, tilting my head.

"He said it’s a meeting," Claude clarified, but he gave me a meaningful look. "But I don’t think it’s just a simple meeting. You were involved with one of the lords of the Underworld."

I frowned. "Are they suspecting me?"

"No," Claude said with certainty. "They have your files. I think they just want to question you about what happened between you and your father."

I let out a slow breath, nodding. "Okay. But I can just go by my own. I haven’t visited my house for days now."

Claude’s gaze bore into me, deeper. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but was hesitating. My heart skipped a beat. Is there any other reason why I should stay here?

Yeah. I couldn’t voice it out. Where the hell is my damn mind going off to?

"Someone broke into your house, Jade," he said. His expression darkened.

A strange chill crawled up my spine. My fingers twitched.

"...By who?" I asked, my voice steady but careful.

"We believe it was them," Claude said grimly. My father’s organization. They found out about me now. I have to be more careful.

"Until a protection order from the NSA comes down from the council, you can’t go back home."

"What kind of protection order are we talking about?"

"The kind that not only protects," Claude said, holding my gaze, "but also monitors."

I stared at his obsidian eyes. My life will change from now on.